BOOK REVIEW: Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews

A feel good holiday read that gives all the fuzzies.

I didn’t read a lot of holiday books this year, really only two, but I’m so glad I read this one. It was so ooey, gooey sweet and cozy and full of Christmas spirit. 

Last year, I read Andrews’ Santa Suit (which I also loved), and I’m glad I did…but I’m getting ahead of myself!

Kerry Tolliver is at a crossroads in her life. No job, no relationship. So, having moved back home to the family Christmas tree farm in the mountains of North Carolina means that she is now going to accompany her older brother, Murphy, to New York City to set up the yearly Tolliver Family Tree Farm so all the fancy New Yorkers can get their fresh, authentic trees. Kerry isn’t thrilled, but since her father can’t go on the annual pilgrimage due to a recent health scare, she loads up her winter gear and embarks on an adventure she hasn’t done since she was a kid.

I’m a sucker for Christmas tree farms. Ironic, since I have never actually been to one since my whole life we have had artificial trees, but they tend to be my favorite Hallmark holiday movies. I’m sure that counts for something! There is just something that screams Christmas and romance about them. Apparently all it would have taken my husband to swoon me is to take me to a forest. Anyways…

Kerry is a great character. She wasn’t forced into existence, she just developed. She feels like a real person on the pages of a book, and that is due to Andrews’ style and character development. She’s not perfect and her relationship with her brother is rocky at best which gives them the ability to grow. Granted, the character Murph is at the beginning is really the same at the end, but his role in the story is critical to Kerry’s development. He’s the one who does this every year, not Kerry. That creates some tension at times between the two of them.

I love Kerry’s artistic, creative side. Getting bored sitting in the freezing cold all day every day for a month could get boring, but she found areas where she could use her talents and help the family business at the same time. This aspect of her character is woven throughout and becomes a focal point by the end of the book. Unfortunately, like with all romance plot lines, I do get absolutely, thoroughly annoyed with indecisiveness. The “oh, I can’t do that,” or the “I don't’ need no man!” Don’t forget the, “I just don’t know what I want.” I mean, I get it. This behavior is needed to extend the drama. Typically these thoughts and interactions will carry over chapters and chapter in a book. Thankfully, Andrews doesn’t make them last that long, and since Kerry is a solidly developed character making her feelings seem a little more legit, it didn’t bother me all that much.

New York really is the only possible setting for the story to unfold as it does. There are not many settings where you can get the diversity of people as you do here, with the iconic images of New Year in December. Diverse characters is what Kerry engages with day in and day out. Heinz is my absolute favorite character. He is sort of an enigma for most of the book though, as you just never really get any hints as to what his story really is. Important to the plot? Clearly! Why? No idea! But he is the glue that no one knew they needed.

The love interest element between Kerry and single dad, Patrick, is sweet even if it seems very one sided for the majority of the book. This is the one area there was some lacking content, development, or something. It was just lacking. It’s almost as if all the characters should have remained friends, and then there could have been an epilogue or something. Not really sure, the the romance was the weakest piece of the story, but still cute and sweet.

The connection that Austin, Patrick’s son, is able to make between all the characters is that in which only a 6 year old could make. I love how Austin came across as that innocent, naive and outspoken kid. He asks every question that comes to mind, no filter needed. He sees the simplicity in life through untarnished eyes. As Heinz is old, Austin is young. Both working together to give the perspectives all the characters need to hear.

Are you into tropes? I’m not really caught up in them, but I get it. Here are some of the tropes that I identified in this one:

• Single Dad

• He Falls First

• Found Family

• Holiday Theme

• Sunshine Sister and Grumpy Brother

• Multigenerational Friendships

Finally, you can’t overlook the ebb and flow of the plot elements. The moments that create conflict and tension or just move the plot forward so we can get to the conclusion we need. Here are a few of my favorite moments:

• The competition

• Ashley the Influencer

• Heinz is Missing

• Kerry’s reference to the events in Andrews’ Santa Suit book

• The collaborative picture book

• Oscar and Elmo

• Queenie

• Vintage Campers

Where does this land on my bookshelf?

Top shelf. I am now determined to make sure that I read a Mary Kay Andrews Christmas book every year for the holidays. This book is heartwarming. The perfect story to wrap up with a blanket and hot chocolate in front of the fire on a chilly night. It’s a story filled with love, kindness, friendship and family. This was by far my favorite holiday read this year. I loved the setting, the characters, and the ease of the read. If you haven’t read this one yet, it is a must read for the holiday season. Please, do yourself a favor and read it.

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